Carly Black April 3, 2010 English 8-4 In his life in Stratford-upon-Avon and London and even in his death, Shakespeare has remained an important, if not mysterious, figure in English literature. It is not certain how Shakespeare split his time between London and his birthplace. However, it is known that he eventually returned to his hometown where he died. Catherine M.S. Alexander’s book Shakespeare: the Life, the Works, the Treasures identifies when Shakespeare was in Stratford and when he was in London. He purchased the second largest estate in Stratford in 1597, along with 107 acres of land and a cottage in Chapel Lane. After this, Shakespeare was tied to both London and Stratford, but he remained in residence in London. In 1607 when his father died, Shakespeare inherited his father's property on Henley Street, which was where his sister lived.This death did not manage to slow Shakespeare down. Shakespeare began to become more involved in public affairs in London after his father’s death. For example, he contributed to a fund that pushed for highway repairs in 1611, and he was in London for a law suit the same year. After Shakespeare wrote The Tempest in 1611, he is said to have moved back to Stratford but still returned to London often. In 1613 he bought Blackfriars Gatehouse. He wrote for two years in Stratford and visited London to work on the plays Henry VIII, The Noble Kingsmen, and Cardenio. Then in 1614 his theatre, The Globe, burned to the ground, and Shakespeare stopped writing for good. His retirement was quite short because he died only a few years later. The death of Shakespeare is somewhat a mystery, but there are theories as to what caused it. He died on April 23, 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon at age 52. The webpage, “Shakespeare’s Death” from the website Internet Shakespeare Edition, says Shakespeare may have been sick when he died. Catherine M.S. Alexander says in Shakespeare the Life, the Works, the Treasures that “John Ward, who was vicar of Stratford from 1662 until his death in 1681” expressed that Shakespeare and a few friends were having a "merry meeting" where they drank very much. Shakespeare then died after he contracted a fever. Although this could have happened, there is no true evidence that it did or that it was the cause of Shakespeare's death. Two days after Shakespeare's death he was buried in Holy Trinity Church underneath the floor and inside the chancel rail. A stone lies on top of his tomb that is inscribed with a curse written in the form of a poem: “Good friend for Jesus sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here! Blest be the man that spares these stones, and curst be he that moves my bones.” Shakespeare's body still lies in this same tomb to this very day. Tarnya Cooper wrote in her book, Searching for Shakespeare, that Shakespeare never wrote a final draft of his will, but the last draft written was put into play after his death. Tarnya Cooper also explains all the bequests Shakespeare put into this draft of his will. Shakespeare left New Place to Susanna, his eldest daughter, and his other daughter, Judith, got £300. Joan Hart, Shakespeare’s sister was left with £20, all of his wearing apparel, and the life tenancy of the house in which she lived. Her three sons got £5 each. Some of Shakespeare’s close friends were given money to purchase mourning rings to remember him by. The most shocking inheritance was what Shakespeare left for his wife. He wrote in his will only to give her his “second best bed with the furniture.” Nobody knows what happened to his books and manuscripts and it is also debated whether or not the signatures on the will are even Shakespeare’s. The will explains what goes to whom very precisely but there are no reasons as to why. It is full of mysteries that researches can only hope to imagine. Shakespeare is still a very celebrated man today. There are memorials all over the world devoted to him, one of which is in Westminster Abbey. This memorial was built in 1740 and was designed by Shakespeare Kent and created by Peter Scheemakers. The memorial is a life-size, white marble statue is of Shakespeare leaning his elbow on a pile of books. His left hand points to a scroll with lines from The Tempest on it. Above Shakespeare’s head there is an inscription which reads, “William Shakespeare 124 years after death by public esteem.” On the pedestal there are carved heads which are believed to be the heads of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry V, and Richard III. This monument from over 250 years ago is still standing today and represents the fame and greatness of Shakespeare. His hard work and beautiful writings are what makes him such an influential character in the world today, and William Shakespeare will forever be honored as a great writer. Works Cited Alexander, Catherine M.S. Shakespeare the Life, the Works, the Treasures. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006. 42-3. Print. Chrisp, Peter. Eyewitness Shakespeare. London, England: DK, 2004. 58-9. Print. Cooper, Tarnya. Searching for Shakespeare. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2006. Print. “Memorials and Statues of William Shakespeare,” William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare info, 2005. Web. 3 Apr 2010. <http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william- shakespeare-statues-and-memorials.htm>.
April 3, 2010
English 8-4
In his life in Stratford-upon-Avon and London and even in his death, Shakespeare has remained an important, if not mysterious, figure in English literature. It is not certain how Shakespeare split his time between London and his birthplace. However, it is known that he eventually returned to his hometown where he died. Catherine M.S. Alexander’s book Shakespeare: the Life, the Works, the Treasures identifies when Shakespeare was in Stratford and when he was in London. He purchased the second largest estate in Stratford in 1597, along with 107 acres of land and a cottage in Chapel Lane. After this, Shakespeare was tied to both London and Stratford, but he remained in residence in London. In 1607 when his father died, Shakespeare inherited his father's property on Henley Street, which was where his sister lived. This death did not manage to slow Shakespeare down.
Shakespeare began to become more involved in public affairs in London after his father’s death. For example, he contributed to a fund that pushed for highway repairs in 1611, and he was in London for a law suit the same year. After Shakespeare wrote The Tempest in 1611, he is said to have moved back to Stratford but still returned to London often. In 1613 he bought Blackfriars Gatehouse. He wrote for two years in Stratford and visited London to work on the plays Henry VIII, The Noble Kingsmen, and Cardenio. Then in 1614 his theatre, The Globe, burned to the ground, and Shakespeare stopped writing for good. His retirement was quite short because he died only a few years later.
The death of Shakespeare is somewhat a mystery, but there are theories as to what caused it. He died on April 23, 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon at age 52. The webpage, “Shakespeare’s Death” from the website Internet Shakespeare Edition, says Shakespeare may have been sick when he died. Catherine M.S. Alexander says in Shakespeare the Life, the Works, the Treasures that “John Ward, who was vicar of Stratford from 1662 until his death in 1681” expressed that Shakespeare and a few friends were having a "merry meeting" where they drank very much. Shakespeare then died after he contracted a fever. Although this could have happened, there is no true evidence that it did or that it was the cause of Shakespeare's death.
Two days after Shakespeare's death he was buried in Holy Trinity Church underneath the floor and inside the chancel rail. A stone lies on top of his tomb that is inscribed with a curse written in the form of a poem:
“Good friend for Jesus sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here!
Blest be the man that spares these stones,
and curst be he that moves my bones.”
Shakespeare's body still lies in this same tomb to this very day.
Tarnya Cooper wrote in her book, Searching for Shakespeare, that Shakespeare never wrote a final draft of his will, but the last draft written was put into play after his death. Tarnya Cooper also explains all the bequests Shakespeare put into this draft of his will. Shakespeare left New Place to Susanna, his eldest daughter, and his other daughter, Judith, got £300. Joan Hart, Shakespeare’s sister was left with £20, all of his wearing apparel, and the life tenancy of the house in which she lived. Her three sons got £5 each. Some of Shakespeare’s close friends were given money to purchase mourning rings to remember him by. The most shocking inheritance was what Shakespeare left for his wife. He wrote in his will only to give her his “second best bed with the furniture.” Nobody knows what happened to his books and manuscripts and it is also debated whether or not the signatures on the will are even Shakespeare’s. The will explains what goes to whom very precisely but there are no reasons as to why. It is full of mysteries that researches can only hope to imagine.
Shakespeare is still a very celebrated man today. There are memorials all over the world devoted to him, one of which is in Westminster Abbey. This memorial was built in 1740 and was designed by Shakespeare Kent and created by Peter Scheemakers. The memorial is a life-size, white marble statue is of Shakespeare leaning his elbow on a pile of books. His left hand points to a scroll with lines from The Tempest on it. Above Shakespeare’s head there is an inscription which reads, “William Shakespeare 124 years after death by public esteem.” On the pedestal there are carved heads which are believed to be the heads of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry V, and Richard III. This monument from over 250 years ago is still standing today and represents the fame and greatness of Shakespeare. His hard work and beautiful writings are what makes him such an influential character in the world today, and William Shakespeare will forever be honored as a great writer.
Works Cited
Alexander, Catherine M.S. Shakespeare the Life, the Works, the Treasures. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006. 42-3. Print.
Chrisp, Peter. Eyewitness Shakespeare. London, England: DK, 2004. 58-9. Print.
Cooper, Tarnya. Searching for Shakespeare. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2006. Print.
“Memorials and Statues of William Shakespeare,” William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare info, 2005. Web. 3 Apr 2010. <http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william- shakespeare-statues-and-memorials.htm>.
“Shakespeare’s death.” Internet Shakespeare Editions. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr 2010.
<http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/life/death.html>.
Shakespeare's Grave at Holy Trinity Church
William Shakespeare Monument in Westminster Abbey